Combination golf tee and brush

ABSTRACT

A combination golf tee and brush includes a cup-like top portion extending to a spike-like bottom portion. The top portion is configured as an arcuate, cup-like recess or cradle to nest a golf ball thereon. The bottom portion has an elongated shaft and a bottom tip that has an elongated edge. The tee brush has a series of mounting holes in which are mounted at least one group of flexible bristles or bristle portions. The bristles may include two laterally opposed groups of bristles or fibers that extend generally laterally from the shaft and are positioned closer to the top portion than the bottom tip.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Pat. App. No.63/304,915 filed Jan. 31, 2022 and entitled “Combination Golf Tee andBrush”, the description of which is incorporated herein by reference inits entirety.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not applicable.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to a golf tee, and specifically to a golf teewhich provides additional benefits.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Golfers typically utilize a golf tee to elevate the golf ball over theunderlying turf when driving the ball. Golf tees have a cup-like topsection extending to a spike-like bottom section. The bottom section isdriven into the turf, and the top section, spaced from the turf, cradlesthe ball for being driven off the tee.

A common problem with golf balls is that they naturally become dirty asthey bounce or roll upon the ground. As such, many golfers also have abrush to clean the golf ball. Similarly, the driving head of a golf cluboften becomes dirty as the club’s swing to drive the golf ball mayimpact the ground as well. The golfer also uses the brushes to cleandirt from the face surface and grooves within the face of golf clubs.However, as these brushes are fairly small, golfers oftentimes lose ormisplace the brush during a round of golf.

Accordingly, it is seen that a need remains for manner of cleaning agolf ball and/or golf club in an easy and convenient manner. It is tothe provision of such therefore that the present invention is primarilydirected.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention meets the need in the art for a combination golftee and brush that comprises a tee portion having a golf ball cradle anda shaft extending from the ball cradle, and flexible bristles extendingfrom the tee portion.

In another aspect, the present invention provides a combination golf teeand brush comprising a top portion having a golf ball cradle and anelongated bottom portion extending from said top portion, said bottomportion having at least one mounting hole, and a bristle portion mountedwithin said mounting hole of said bottom portion.

In yet another aspect, the present invention provides a combination golftee and brush comprising a tee portion having a top portion configuredto nest a golf ball and a bottom portion extending from said topportion, and at least one group of bristles coupled to said tee portionso as to extend laterally from said tee portion with respect to thelongitudinal length of said tee portion.

Objects, advantages, and features of the present invention will bereadily apparent upon a reading of the detailed description inconjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of a combination golf tee and brush embodyingprinciples of the invention in a preferred form.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the combination golf tee and brush shown in FIG.1 .

FIG. 3 is a detailed perspective view of a bottom portion of thecombination golf tee and brush shown in FIG. 1 .

FIG. 4 is a side view of a combination golf tee and brush in analternative embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN EMBODIMENTS Definitions

For purposes of the present disclosure, it is noted that spatiallyrelative terms, such as “up,” “down,” “right,” “left,” “beneath,”“below,” “lower,” “above,” “upper” and the like, may be used herein forease of description to describe one element or feature’s relationship toanother element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. It willbe understood that the spatially relative terms are intended toencompass different orientations of the device in use or operation inaddition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if thedevice in the figures is turned over or rotated, elements described as“below” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented“above” the other elements or features. Thus, the exemplary term “below”can encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may beotherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and thespatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.

Description of Selected Specific Embodiments

With reference next to the drawings, there is shown a combination golftee and brush 10 embodying principles of the invention in a preferredform. The combination golf tee and brush, referenced hereinafter as teebrush 10, has a tee portion 11 with a cup-like top portion 12 extendingto a spike-like bottom portion 14. The top portion 12 is configured asan arcuate, cup-like recess or cradle 13 to nest a golf ball GB thereon,with a bottom apex. The tee brush 10 may be made of any conventionalmaterial, such as plastic, wood, metal or the like.

The bottom portion 14 has an elongated shaft 16 and a bottom tip 18oppositely disposed from or distal the top portion 12. The bottom tip 18has an elongated edge 20, rather than a conventional golf tee’sconically shaped point. The bottom portion 18 in the illustratedembodiment has a wedge-shaped tip oppositely disposed from the topportion. In the illustrated embodiment, opposing sloped faces taperingto the edge 20 define the wedge-shaped tip. The opposing tapered facesof the tip facilitate pushing penetration of the golf tee 10 into theground for use as a tee to hold a golf ball above the ground forstriking with a golf club. However, the tee brush 10 may, in analternative embodiment, terminate in a conically shaped point. Theelongated shaft 16 of the bottom portion 14 may have any conventional,cross-sectional shape, such as a circle, square of other polygonalshape. The elongated edge 20 further provides a working surface fordislodging debris and dirt from a golf ball or club head. The bottomedge 20 may be inserted into the groove of a golf club and moved alongthe groove to dislodge or extract dirt from the groove.

The shaft 16 of the bottom portion 14 has a series of mounting holes 24in which are mounted a series of grouped flexible bristles or bristleportions 24. The bristles 24 may be maintained in place throughfrictional mounting or by an adhesive. In the illustrated embodiment,the bristles 24 include two laterally opposed groups of bristles orfibers that extend generally laterally or perpendicularly from the shaft16 and are positioned closer to the top portion 12 than the bottom tip18. The bristles 24 may be made of any conventional material, such asnylon. FIG. 1 illustrates a first one of the bristles 24 spaced from ahorizontal plane defined by the apex of the cup-like recessed topportion 12, but may in alternative embodiments be formed in the shaftcloser to, or at the plane of such recess. As an alternative, thebristles 24 may be in the form of a single group of bristles or a singlepair of oppositely disposed groups of bristles 24. It should beunderstood that as there is not a clear demarcation between the topportion 12 and the bottom portion 14, the bristles 24 may be consideredto be mounted in either portion, however, it is preferred that thebristles 24 by mounted close to or within the cradle 13 to restrict dirtfrom accumulating upon the bristles 24.

In an alternative embodiment as illustrated in FIG. 4 , the bristles 24are mounted more into the top portion 12 or proximate the cradle 13.

Also, FIG. 4 illustrates another alternative embodiment in which thebottom edge 20 is oriented at an angle or slant with respect to thelongitudinal axis of the tee brush, rather than generally perpendicularorientation to the longitudinal axis shown in the first embodiment andillustrated in FIG. 4 in phantom line for comparison purposes. Thelateral end 25 of the edge 20 distalmost from the cradle defines a sharppoint that may be selectively engaged to dirt or debris on a ball orclub head for dislodging such during cleaning or received in a groovefor dislodging dirt or debris, with follow-up brushing of the golf ballor club head with the bristles 24.

In a first use, the tee brush 10 is utilized by pushing the bottomportion 14 into the ground or turf. The opposing tapered faces 18facilitate the pushing penetration of the golf tee 10 into the groundfor use as a tee to hold a golf ball above the ground for striking witha golf club. The opposing faces of the tee brush 10 should not be pushedinto the ground to a level wherein the bristles 24 contact the ground,as this would cause the bristles 24 to become dirty. A golf ball GB maythen be cradled or nested upon the cradle 13 of the top portion 12. Thegolfer may then strike the golf ball GB positioned upon the tee brush 10with a golf club in conventional fashion.

The tee brush 10 may also be used in a second use to clean the golf ballGB or the face of a golf club by passing the bristles 24 over the golfball or golf club. Movement of the bristles 24 dislodges dirt or debrisfrom the golf ball or golf club, which retained material if left thereoninterferes with play of the golf ball or golf club.

The tee brush 10 may also be used in a third use to clean the groovestypically found in the striking plane of a club head of a golf club.This is accomplished by inserting the edge 20 of the tip 18 into thegroove and pushing the tee brush edge 20 along the groove to dislodgeand remove any dirt or debris material therein. The bristles 24 may thenbe used to brush away the loose residual particles of dislodgedmaterial.

It should be understood that as an alternative to forming a series ofmounting holes 22 for the bristles 24 to be directly mounted to theshaft 16 or a row of bristles 24 may be adhered to the shaft through anadhesive. Alternatively, the bristles 24 may be formed integrally withthe shaft 16 during the formation of the shaft 16. As yet anotheralternative, the bristles 24 may be formed as an array of columns androws of spaced bristles.

As such, the combination golf tee and brush or tee brush 10 comprises atee portion 11 having a golf ball cradle 13 and a shaft 16 extendingfrom the ball cradle 13. The bristle portion 24 extends laterally fromthe tee portion. The bristle portion 24 may be a group of flexiblebristles arranged to extend laterally from laterally opposite sides ofthe tee portion, and/or may be arranged in a vertical series of groupsof bristles 24.

It thus is seen that a tee brush is now provided which overcomesproblems associated with the prior art. While this invention has beendescribed in detail with particular references to the preferredembodiments thereof, it should be understood that many modifications,additions, and deletions, in addition to those expressly recited, may bemade thereto without departure from the spirit and scope of theinvention recited in the following claims.

1. A combination golf tee and brush comprising: a top portion having agolf ball cradle; an elongated bottom portion extending from said topportion, said bottom portion having at least one mounting hole, and abristle portion mounted within said mounting hole of said bottomportion.
 2. The combination golf tee and brush of claim 1 wherein saidbristle portion extends laterally from said bottom portion.
 3. Thecombination golf tee and brush of claim 2 wherein said bristle portionis a vertical series of groups of bristles.
 4. The combination golf teeand brush of claim 1 wherein said bristle portion includes twooppositely disposed groups of bristles.
 5. The combination golf tee andbrush of claim 4 wherein each said group of bristles is a verticalseries of groups of bristles.
 6. The combination golf tee and brush ofclaim 1 wherein said bottom portion has a wedge-shaped tip oppositelydisposed from said top portion.
 7. The combination golf tee and brush ofclaim 1 wherein said bottom portion defines a distal edge remote fromthe golf ball cradle.
 8. The combination golf tee and brush of claim 7wherein said distal edge is at an angle relative to a longitudinal axisof said bottom portion.
 9. A combination golf tee and brush comprising:a tee portion having a golf ball cradle and a shaft extending from saidgolf ball cradle, and flexible bristles extending laterally from saidtee portion.
 10. (canceled)
 11. The combination golf tee and brush ofclaim 9 wherein said flexible bristles are a vertical series ofbristles.
 12. The combination golf tee and brush of claim 9 wherein saidflexible bristles includes two oppositely disposed groups of flexiblebristles.
 13. The combination golf tee and brush of claim 12 whereineach said group of flexible bristles is a vertical series of bristles.14. The combination golf tee and brush of claim 9 wherein said shaft hasa wedge shaped tip oppositely disposed from said cradle portion.
 15. Thecombination golf tee and brush of claim 9 wherein said bottom portiondefines a distal edge remote from the golf ball cradle.
 16. Thecombination golf tee and brush of claim 15 where said distal edge is atan angle relative to a longitudinal axis of said bottom portion.
 17. Acombination golf tee and brush comprising: a tee portion having a topportion configured to nest a golf ball and a bottom portion extendingfrom said top portion, and at least one group of bristles coupled tosaid tee portion so as to extend laterally from said tee portion withrespect to the longitudinal length of said tee portion.
 18. Thecombination golf tee and brush of claim 17 wherein said at least onegroup of bristles includes two groups of bristles that are laterallyopposed from each other with respect to said tee portion.
 19. Thecombination golf tee and brush of claim 18 wherein each said two groupsof bristles is a vertical series of groups of bristles.
 20. Thecombination golf tee and brush of claim 17 wherein said at least onegroup of bristles is a vertical series of groups of bristles.
 21. Thecombination golf tee and brush of claim 17 wherein said bottom portionhas a wedge shaped tip oppositely disposed from said top portion. 22.The combination golf tee and brush of claim 17 wherein said bottomportion defines a distal edge remote from the golf ball cradle.
 23. Thecombination golf tee and brush of claim 22 where said distal edge is atan angle relative to a longitudinal axis of said bottom portion.
 24. Acombination golf tee and brush comprising: a tee portion having a golfball cradle and a shaft extending from said golf ball cradle, and twooppositely disposed groups of flexible bristles extending from saidshaft of said tee portion.
 25. The combination golf tee and brush ofclaim 24, wherein said flexible bristles extend laterally from saidshaft of said tee portion.
 26. The combination golf tee and brush ofclaim 24, wherein said flexible bristles are a vertical series ofbristles.
 27. The combination golf tee and brush of claim 24 whereinsaid shaft has a wedge shaped tip oppositely disposed from said cradleportion.
 28. The combination golf tee and brush of claim 24 wherein saidbottom portion defines a distal edge remote from the golf ball cradle.29. The combination golf tee and brush of claim 285 where said distaledge is at an angle relative to a longitudinal axis of said bottomportion.